Machines, including on and off-highway haul and vocational trucks, wheel loaders, motor graders, and other types of heavy equipment generally include a multi-speed, bidirectional, mechanical transmission drivingly coupled to an engine by way of a hydraulic torque converter. The hydraulic torque converter multiplies and/or absorbs torque fluctuations transmitted from the engine to the transmission by allowing slippage between a crankshaft of the engine and an input shaft of the transmission. The hydraulic torque converter is rotationally connected to and driven by the crankshaft via a splined interface at an outer periphery, and held in alignment with the crankshaft at a center of rotation by a support member.
During operation of the machine, vibrational disturbances may be transmitted from the engine to the torque converter and, in reverse direction, from the torque converter to the engine. This vibration, depending on its frequency and amplitude, can be damaging to the drivetrain components. Thus, it may be desirable to limit transmission of the vibrational disturbance and/or protect against damage caused by the disturbance.
One way to protect against excessive wear of a drivetrain connection caused by vibration is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,045,027 (the '027 patent) issued to Larsen on Sep. 3, 1991. Specifically, the '027 patent discloses a drivetrain connection between a crankshaft-driven flywheel and a torque converter input shaft. The flywheel includes a central bore that receives a rear nose portion of the torque converter input shaft to center the shaft within the flywheel. An optional wear sleeve can be disposed within the flywheel to stabilizingly support the rear nose portion of the input shaft. In this manner, the torque converter is both centered relative to the flywheel and somewhat protected from relative vibrations between the flywheel and input shaft.
Although the drivetrain connection of the '027 patent may help minimize damage caused by relative vibrations between the flywheel and the torque converter, the benefit provided by the wear sleeve may be minimal. That is, the '027 patent only concentrates on wear caused by the vibration and does little to dampen the vibrations. Without dampening the vibrations, the drivetrain connection may still suffer from unacceptable component life.
The drivetrain connection of the present disclosure solves one or more of the problems set forth above.